Acceleration

Acceleration is a transitive verb with one meaning of a: to enable (a student) to complete a course in less than usual time b: to speed up (as a course of study). Well that's the journey I thought I was on until a month ago. I had been doing this spiritual journey book by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson. It's the second time I've read the book. I had been sharing in huddletime in The ReignForest that I've been stuck on the last three days but actually it was Day 26 of the book entitled "Keep Yourself from Idols". Whatever takes our hearts from him, or shares it with him, is an idol. There are three species of idolatry: 1)desire of the flesh - refers to all the outward senses; 2)desire of the eye - gratified by such objects as either grand or beautiful or uncommon and 3)"the pride of life" - seeking happiness in the praise of men or "taking care of our reputation". While trying to find the idols in my life I prayed the prayer "God remove anything from my life that takes me from knowing you more intimately, if it is pride remove it or rout it out." Ahh...dangerous prayer - almost as dangerous as praying for patience. So the past ~30 days I had been doing soul searching about idols in my life.

Speed up to this past week-end. I had a lesson..uhm "a God moment" in my flower garden. I was trying to remove a little wild tree/shrub thingie that was developing in my garden. I wanted to chop it out. I went to the shed to get the ax but couldn't find one but found an ax pick instead. Well, that'll do. There I am wielding this big thing swinging the pick into the ground to get to the bottom of this stubborn root. As I swing and strike deeper into the ground I'm saying to myself "Man this thing is deep-just how deep do I have to go?" and suddenly there was the picture before me and the softness of a familiar inner voice "Your pride is just like that root and that's why your stuck and you're experiencing so much pain lately." gulp... God moments don't always make you stop in your tracks and lights go on well at least this one wasn't like that. It seemed like this one kept low and started grower brighter and clearer until - the lights are fully on.

Here's the reality...I had cried for something to be revealed, my sinfulness, disobedience, guiltiness so that I could be discovered and be made known more to myself than to God. He knew what the problem was all along. Sometimes I don't know what the problem is because I don't want to or don't want to face the reality of myself.

Here's the results...once God showed me what it was, I repented of it and received a spiritual breakthrough.

Here's some hope...you know that root I dug out. The deeper the pick went the root got smaller and then relief I yanked it out. By tending my flower garden more closely I'm going to be checking for any wildshoots before they take deep root. In my life, it means staying close-intimately close to God my Father, Jesus my Lord and Savior and being sensitve to the Holy Spirit so that the revealing of self (weeding) is less painful.

While this was not an easy breakthrough Dr. Bruce says the insights that I learn from pain will endure. I'm finding that the cost of daily discipleship has some benefits...one is to encourage imitation of Christ and allow me to act in ways that are centered in God's will.

May the hand of God be upon you as you seek His face to receive His peace.